<p>I happen to see education in a different light than the current view. I tend to see college as a place where you go to improve yourself and become a better person.</p>
<p>I liken this search to learning tae-kwon-do. Choosing between a low ranked master vs. a top ranked master. Why would you choose a lower ranked master to learn from? Because he will give you an easier time? This to me is a silly reason to not go to a top ranked master. Learning from the best to me is a very easy choice to make. </p>
<p>Here is a ranking of the best rated faculty in terms of peer reputation in the entire world by the THES London Times. ( I left out most foreign Universities)</p>
<ol>
<li>UCBerkeley -- 665</li>
<li>Harvard -- 643</li>
<li>Oxford -- 560</li>
<li>Cambridge -- 541</li>
<li>MIT -- 484</li>
<li>Stanford -- 420</li>
<li>Princeton -- 353</li>
<li>Yale -- 347</li>
<li>University of Chicago -254</li>
<li>CalTech -- 236</li>
<li>Columbia -- 213</li>
<li>Cornell - 202</li>
<li>UCLA - 180</li>
<li>University of Michigan - 173</li>
</ol>
<p>I truly think that the state of education is truly dependent on how highly we prize our learning and the excellence of our professors and research. If we lose focus on this, then the entire point of going to college to learn is lost.</p>